Warrants Denied for Ahn Bu-soo, Bang Yong-chul, and Others in 'SBW Testimony Tampering Allegations'

Ahn Bu-soo, president of the Asia Pacific Peace Exchange Association, avoided detention after being accused of overturning key testimony in exchange for money during the trial process of the SBW DPRK remittance case. Bang Yong-chul, former vice president of SBW, and other SBW officials who allegedly provided money to Ahn also had their arrest warrants dismissed.
According to legal sources on the 11th, Nam Se-jin, a judge in charge of warrants at the Seoul Central District Court, held a pretrial detention hearing for Ahn, who faces charges of embezzlement and breach of trust, and denied the arrest warrant in the early hours of the day.
The court stated, "The suspect acknowledges the objective facts, and the basic evidence has already been collected. Considering the suspect’s stable residence and family ties, the progress of the investigation and court appearances, the fact that all damages have been recovered, and the suspect’s health condition, it is difficult to recognize the necessity and proportionality of detention at this stage."
The warrants for Bang, the former vice president, and Mr. Park, the former director, who were charged alongside Ahn, were also denied.
Regarding Bang, the court noted, "A significant portion of the criminal allegations is supported by evidence; however, considering the evidence collected so far, the suspect’s stable residence and family ties, the progress of the investigation and court appearances, the fact that all damages have been recovered, and the suspect’s health condition, it is difficult to recognize the necessity and proportionality of detention at this stage."
For Mr. Park, the court explained, "Some criminal allegations are supported by evidence, but all related damages have been recovered. There is room for dispute regarding the remaining allegations and the extent of supporting evidence. Based on the evidence collected so far and the progress of the investigation and court appearances, it is difficult to conclude that there is sufficient reason for detention at this stage."
Ahn and others are suspected of changing their statements in favor of SBW during the trial process after exchanging money related to the SBW DPRK remittance case.
Prosecutors believe the financial transactions were made using company funds, charging Bang with occupational embezzlement and breach of trust, and Ahn with embezzlement. Mr. Park is accused of smuggling soju into the investigation room disguised as water during the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office’s investigation into the DPRK remittance case in May 2023.
Ahn is known to have connected Gyeonggi Province, SBW, and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) during the period when Lee Jae Myung served as governor of Gyeonggi Province. In a 2022 prosecution investigation, Ahn stated that the $8 million remitted by SBW to the DPRK was intended to boost stock prices, but during the trial of Lee Hwa-young, former vice governor for peace of Gyeonggi Province, in April of the following year, he changed his testimony to say it was for Gyeonggi Province and President Lee’s visit to the DPRK, raising suspicions of inducement.



scottchoi15@fnnews.com Choi Eun-sol Reporter